The invention relates to a lipstick case which automatically opens a cover when lipstick is extended from the case and automatically closes the cover when the lipstick is retracted.
FIG. 1 indicates a disassembled view of a previous lipstick case.
In the previous lipstick case, a dish or cup 100, having a machined protrusion 102 on a body 101, functions as a case for housing a lipstick L. A dish or cup vertical sliding tube 200 has a straight guide groove 202 machined in the longitudinal direction of the body 201. The lower portion of the body 201 is so arranged to be a connection portion 203 for attachment to a lower case 400 that is used as, for example, a separately formed handle. A dish or cup turning tube 300 has a spiral guide groove 302 machined along an inner circumferential surface of a body 301. A lower case 400 has a connection portion 402 to be attached to the connection portion 203 of the dish vertical sliding tube 200. The lower case 400 is formed and is used both as a lower portion of the case and as a handle. An upper case 500 is provided for enclosing and covering a lipstick L.
FIG. 2 indicates a sectional view of the previous lipstick case assembly. An outer cylindrical portion of the vertical sliding dish tube 200 is inserted into a dish turning tube 300 so that their mutual turning may be possible. A protrusion 102 of the dish 100 is arranged to be inserted into spiral groove 302 of dish turning tube 300 through straight guide groove 202 of dish vertical sliding tube 200. Thus the dish 100 is housed in dish vertical sliding tube 200. In the bottom region, the connection portion 203 of dish vertical sliding tube 200 is attached to the connection portion 402 of lower case 400. Dish vertical sliding tube 200 and lower case 400 are thus assembled. After the dish 100 houses lipstick L, said elements are to be covered with upper case 500.
When using the lipstick case formed in this way, after pulling upper case 500 off, the lower case 400 is turned by taking the dish turning tube 300 by one hand and the lower case 400 by the other hand at the same time. The dish vertical sliding tube 200 is turned together with the lower case 400, and the protrusion 102 of dish 100 turns along the spiral guide groove 302 of dish turning tube 300 and moves up and down along the straight guide groove 202 of dish vertical sliding tube 200. Thus, the lipstick L, together with dish 100, juts to the outside of dish vertical sliding tube 200 to be ready to use. After using the lipstick L, the lower case 400 is turned in the reverse direction contrary to the above, by taking the dish turning tube 300 by one hand, and by taking the lower case 400 by the other hand. The dish 100 moves down together with lipstick L. In this way, when the lipstick L together with dish 100 has moved down, lipstick L becomes in a safe keeping position by closing and covering the lipstick L with the upper case 500.
However, when using the previous lipstick case as described above, the upper case 500 should be removed. After finishing the application of the lipstick L, lipstick L is to be safely kept by enclosing and covering it with the upper case 500. Therefore, applying make up by holding a mirror by one hand while removing the upper case 500 with the same hand is very inconvenient. Furthermore, whenever the upper case 500 is removed, there is the opportunity for the upper case 500 to be misplaced or lost. Thus, impurities may become stuck to the lipstick L because the lipstick L is unprotected by the upper case 500.